


NOT Being Mrs. Banks

by era_hatter



Category: Mary Poppins (1964), Mary Poppins - All Media Types, Mary Poppins - P. L. Travers
Genre: Bert is an angel, Crying, F/M, Falling In Love, Fluff, Fluff and Hurt/Comfort, Mary Poppins is an angel, Oneshot, Sad, Sad Ending, Sad with a Happy Ending, Short, shortstory
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-22
Updated: 2018-09-22
Packaged: 2019-07-15 13:35:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,120
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16064207
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/era_hatter/pseuds/era_hatter
Summary: Set in Mary Poppins the Musical for Broadway, right before Mr. Banks goes to the bank to see if he's fired or not.My boyfriend played Mr. Banks in the musical at our local theatre and I was hella jealous of the girl who played Mrs. Banks because she was freaking pretty and sang like an angel...so, I write fanfiction!!!(Depressing, I know, get over it.)This is my theory of Bert and Mary: they're angels that come to people right before they're supposed to die so they help them get on the right track so they DON'T die.Makes sense, right?





	NOT Being Mrs. Banks

I hurried my way down the misty cobblestone road, chilled by the September air. Spotting the dimly lit lamppost, I darted underneath it and rested my gaze upon the house before me. The pale blue siding seemed to be the only splash of color on that dreary street. Even the flowers in the beds were clothed in the somber colors London had to offer. I smoothed out my dirt covered skirts, stomach fluttering with butterflies. It was wrong of me to be there. I had no right to be standing in front of that magnificent house nor dream about the gentleman who lived there. Yet, I could never get over what might have been. Tears pricked my eyes suddenly as they did every evening, but I made no movement to wipe them away. It was too late anyway, for a soot covered man stepped out of the shadows of the house I was watching.

I gasped and then calmed at the realization of whom it was.

“Bert, you scared me,” I said shakily.

His eyes narrowed at my disheveled stature and glanced up at the house in front of us. 

“You’re going to torture yourself if you keep doing this every single day, miss,” he cautioned, “there’s no sense in staying in the past if you can’t change the future.”

I hung my head in shame and replied, “When did you ever use sense, Bert?”

He shrugged and stared again at the house.

“I just got done talking to Mr. Banks, myself. He’s starting to realize that his family is what’s important in life.”

My heart shattered. 

“He’s really forgotten me then?” I asked.

Bert paused. “No one’s really forgotten, miss.”

“But…he doesn’t remember me, does he?”

His face turned grim as he pointed to my hands, “Only you know that answer to that.”

I glanced down at my hands. Darkness spread from the tips of my fingers to the knuckles. I was fading.

A sickening feeling filled my stomach and spread to every part of my body. I dropped to the ground. Beginning to weep, I muffled my sobs in my dark hands, black swirled tears leaking through them. Bert patted my shoulder in an attempt to comfort me. 

The door to the blue house swung open, revealing a man in a suit wrapped up in a black overcoat. Confidence and a hint of fear shone on his face as he marched down the stairs and onto the lane. My breath hitched at the sight. George Banks. Remembering what Bert had said triggered several tears to form rapidly and drop down the sides of my face. A small whimper escaped my closed lips as Mr. Banks strode by. His pace slowed to a stop and he turned around, concern flitting across his face. 

“Are you well?”

I blinked several times at his question. Thinking he was talking to Bert, I turned around only to find that Bert had vanished. I was alone. My eyes widened as I turned back to Mr. Banks.

“You can see me?” I whispered.

He raised a brow but made no comment. 

I hurriedly tried to compose myself. Mr. Banks outstretched his hand to me. Smiling for the first time in a decade, I took it. 

“Thank you, sir.”

“Your welcome, madam,” he said once I was standing properly, “again, are you well?”

My smile vanished as I glimpsed at the ground briefly before replying, “No, sir. I am not.”

Concern laced his voice, “Should I call a doctor? My house is right here, I can…”

I snorted, “No doctor can help my case. You’re usually not this concerned about anything, George.”

Mr. Banks looked confused. Not knowing what to say, he stood in front of me in silence.

“You really don’t remember me, do you?” I asked softly. 

The man shifted on his feet nervously. “I apologize for any inconvenience…”

“No, don’t apologize. It was ten years ago when we last spoke. I’m not offended.”

His face became pale, eyes growing as big as saucers as he gasped, “Ten years ago, my first fiancé was killed in a carriage accident.”

I pulled away the tangled hair covering my face, revealing my features. 

Horror overtook Mr. Banks, and he took a step back. “How…?”

“I don’t know. I’ve been here all this time, but you’ve never seemed to notice me.”

His eyes glazed over. “All this time…you were here.” He looked at me worriedly. “You know of Winifred, then?”

I nodded sadly. “She loves you, George. She can touch you, talk to you, bear your children: everything I wish I could have done.” I glanced at the house. “She’s a good woman. I’ve stood here every night since I died, watching you and your family. Treat them right, George.”

His ears perked at the last thing I said. “Are you leaving?” 

I raised my arms. The darkness spread down my forearms and just above my elbow. 

“What…is that?” he asked curiously.

“I am fading from your memory,” I choked, “I’m going to disappear.”

“B-but I remember you now! Surely that changes things!” Mr. Banks protested. 

I shook my head. “That’s not how it works, George.”

He grabbed hold of my shoulders gently. “I only wished to forget you because you were always on my mind. Even during my wedding, I thought of you. I can’t…” he paused, tears flowing down his face. “I can’t lose you again.” 

Sorrowful, I hugged the crying man tightly. “Treat Winifred how you would have treated me. You fell in love with her, I saw that. I was there the whole time. Don’t brush her off. Dance with her under the stars like the time we did all those years ago. Fall in love again and remember me.”

Mr. Banks pulled back, nodding his head. “What will happen to you?” 

I smiled sadly. “I’ll wave to you in the stars. Goodbye, George.”

Kissing his cheek softly, I faded away into the night.

***

I watched Mr. and Mrs. Banks dance in the dew dropped grass of the night. They looked happy together. As I smiled, the stars making up my form shined brightly. 

He remembered me. 

Mr. Banks glanced up at my form, and I waved at him. His eyes widened as he exclaimed, “Oh, look, look! Wasn't that a shooting star?” Everyone gathered to look up at me. "You can borrow my telescope!" Michael enthusiastically offered. Mr. Banks took it and gazed up in to my eyes. A small smile flitted across his face. "I was right...wish on it, children." 

“Make a wish, George,” I breathed.

Mr. Banks closed his eyes and smiled. In a voice that none could hear but me, he whispered my name.


End file.
